


Taiga Decides That, Clearly, Mebius Just Has a Big Family Now

by WritingPaperGhost



Series: Death Can't Bind Our Endless Story [2]
Category: Ultraman Mebius, ウルトラシリーズ | Ultra Series, ウルトラマンタイガ | Ultraman Taiga
Genre: Fluff, Heart-to-Heart, They talk about friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-26
Updated: 2021-01-26
Packaged: 2021-03-18 14:15:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,619
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28993545
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WritingPaperGhost/pseuds/WritingPaperGhost
Summary: Mebius and Taiga have a talk about the bonds of friendship. Taiga doesn't really get it.Later, Taiga and Mebius have a conversation about the bonds of friendship. Taiga understands.
Series: Death Can't Bind Our Endless Story [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2118582
Kudos: 12





	Taiga Decides That, Clearly, Mebius Just Has a Big Family Now

**Author's Note:**

> This is labeled as chapter nine of all this in my doc, but I really wanted to write it. For the most part, this can act as a standalone from the rest of this series, since Crew GUYS are only passingly mentioned. Really, if I tweaked it a bit, I could make it entirely separate.

“Alright, Taiga!” Mebius smiled, “You did good. You’re making really good progress.”

Beside him, Taiga nodded, “I’ve been practicing a lot,” He said, sounding happy at Mebius’ praise. As Mebius turned to leave, Taiga remembered something, “Oh, right! Hey, what’s your family like?”

Mebius turned back to face him, confused, “Huh? My family?”

“Well yeah,” Taiga nodded, “Like you’re brother, or the rest of the people who’re living with you now. I heard about ‘em from dad and uncle Ace.”

Warily, Mebius recalled how Taiga never really stopped referring to Ryu as Mebius’ brother. They’d explained to him a couple times that they weren’t related, but for some reason or another, Taiga never stopped. Mebius didn’t mind much, really, and Ryu had seemed to just accept it. While Mebius was certain his friends wouldn’t mind people thinking they were his family - he was pretty sure his neighbors already did - he really didn’t want Taiga to get the wrong idea about things. Especially since he’d probably spread it, though at least now Taro was already aware of Mebius’ friends.

Still, Mebius wasn’t entirely sure the best response to Taiga’s question. If he wasn’t careful, Taiga would really get the wrong idea. At the same time, it was a bit tricky to explain his friends in general, especially because just saying they’re his friends would get far more complicated with further questioning. Yet, the simplest answer was often the best one.

With a smile, Mebius gave his answer, “Taiga, they’re my friends, they’re living with me because we all like to be together,” Well that and when it came down to it, they’d all just shown up suddenly and would need somewhere to stay and Mebius had honestly started feeling a bit lonely at home. (It was a lot more than a bit. He’d often do whatever he could to avoid being at home too much, if only because it was too empty. He didn’t like that much emptiness, it felt too much like he was alone entirely. After Ryu had appeared had brought the first time in a while that Mebius had been excited to go home. It was the first time since he’d left Earth that somewhere really felt like  _ home _ ).

Based on the look Taiga was giving him, it was clear that he didn’t really believe the answer, no matter how true it was. Maybe it was just that Taiga didn’t think that some part of the answer was exactly true. Mebius couldn’t come up with a reason why that would be the case, but there were only so many explanations to Taiga’s expression.

Surprisingly, though, Taiga didn’t say anything, about Mebius’ answer, at least. Instead, he chose to ask, “Well why do you all like to be together?”

“Because we’re all friends and we all care about each other,”

At that, Taiga seemed confused, “You’re all friends…” He repeated, sounding a bit bewildered, “And you all want to be together because you care about each other?”

If Mebius could recall correctly, he never really heard Taiga talk about his friends. Sure, he’d heard him talk about his classmates at school - even that boy that Ace had named (Zen? Zack? Zett? Zett! Mebius had only met him a handful of times at this point). The point was, Mebius had never really heard Taiga ever refer to someone as his friend, and he barely talked about someone in a way that made it sound like they were friends.

Maybe that was why Taiga was having a hard time understanding how Mebius could be so close to people, without them necessarily being his family (They were certainly like his family, if pressed he’d say he’d considered them such, but he was a bit afraid to say it to them, really). Taiga didn’t really have the same sort of connections with others - outside of mainly his family.

“Yeah,” Mebius nods, hoping that the simple response would be enough to answer Taiga’s question.

Still though, Taiga didn’t seem to understand. “You’re friends and you all care about each other…” He mumbled to himself, before looking up at Mebius, “Okay, then.”

It was a bit of a surprise that Taiga didn’t ask more questions. He simply said that and said goodbye, heading home for the day. It took a while for Mebius to realize why Taiga hadn’t continued questioning. He probably didn’t want Mebius to know that he still didn’t understand it. It wasn’t a big deal, really, Mebius wasn’t too concerned, though it did remind him that Taiga didn’t exactly have much in the way of friends.

As it was, Mebius decided that he’d leave any further line of thought on the matter for Taiga to discover on his own, whether through his own experiences or through asking others. The sort of bonds that he had with his friends were certainly unique and unusual, but Taiga didn’t need to know that part. Certainly, one day, Taiga would learn to understand what Mebius had been telling him.

\---

“Mebius!” Recognizing the voice that called for him, Mebius turns in the direction he heard, seeing Taiga walking up to him. Mebius hadn’t seen Taiga himself for quite a while, had only heard word that he was even still alive after the Tri-Squad’s attempt to fight Tregear. It took a lot to not immediately attempt to hug him, but Mebius was choosing to use every ounce of his self-restraint! He hadn’t been expecting to see him, but then again, Mebius could recall hearing that Taro had returned with Taiga the day before.

Friends. It still made Mebius unbelievably happy that Taiga had good friends now. He could remember when he first met the Tri-Squad. The three weren’t as close as they could be, Mebius could tell, but he knew those things took time. From what he’d heard from when Zero had ran into the three, that seems to have changed.

“Taiga!” Mebius smiled, still restraining himself from wrapping Taiga into a hug. He’d probably gotten enough of that from his family, knowing them. “You’re back! It’s good to see you again.”

Taiga had a smile on his face. It was hard to explain but… Taiga seemed a bit different, now. Mebius knew it was most likely from the time that the Tri-Squad had spent on Earth, their fight against the monsters and Aliens that threatened the planet. Even constantly having to face Tregear. Yet they’d also done something they couldn’t do before. They’d defeated Tregear, so Mebius supposed that he was just seeing how Taiga had grown.

“Yeah,” Taiga responded, “Dad and I got back yesterday… But you know, had to go see grandpa and grandma. Then Uncle Ace…. and then we were all tired....”

“I’m just glad you’re back and you’re okay,” Mebius assured, “It’s been so long since I’ve gotten to see you, after all!”

Taiga seemed to be a bit sheepish. “Yeah well… Uh…” He stumbled, “It’s uh… It’s good to see you again too, I guess…”

It could have been a lot of things. Maybe Taiga was still tired, maybe he was just awkward - surely he knew that everyone had thought he had been dead for twelve years. Maybe Taiga thought that Mebius might scold him. There were a lot of possibilities, but Mebius could tell one thing for sure. It seemed like Taiga was nervous. Either he was worried about something, or there was something he wanted to say.

Deciding that being direct was the best course of action, Mebius noted, “It seems like something’s bothering you,”

At the observation, Taiga’s attention returned fully to Mebius. He started to say something, then stopped, hesitant, before starting again, “I just…” He took a moment before continuing, “Do you remember that one time I asked you about your… Friends? I called them your family, since you lived with them and all, and you told me that they were just your friends.”

Vaguely, Mebius could recall the conversation, though he didn’t remember the exact details. It hadn’t been normal talk for them, but it hadn’t been terribly unusual either. “A bit,” Mebius told him.

“You told me the reason why you were all so close was because you cared about each other,” Taiga continued. Mebius couldn’t recall if he said something exactly like that, but it sounded about right. “Even though I didn’t keep asking, I didn’t really get it, at the time.”

“I kind of figured,” Mebius said, “But I figured you’d understand it sooner or later.”

Taiga tilts his head, then nods. With a laugh, he responds, “I think I get it now,” Between that and his smile, Mebius found himself smiling too.

“Titas and Fuma are my friends,” He said, his voice perhaps the most truly confident that Mebius had heard. It was a belief that Taiga clearly held with his entire being. “And we’re stronger together.”

With Taiga’s assertion, Mebius felt what little self restraint he had left slip away. With a grin, he pulls Taiga into a hug, causing him to yelp. “I hope Brother Taro and everyone have told you how proud of you they are,” He said, “Because they must be so very proud of you. I know I am.”

“Huh?” Taiga didn’t really try to pull himself out of the hug. There was the chance that he was expecting it. “What?”

“You’re not the same person you were when I last saw you, nor are you the same as you were twelve years ago.” Mebius explained, loosening his grip on Taiga, “You’ve grown an awful lot during your time on Earth.”

“I, uh, thanks?”

Mebius finally released Taiga from his hold, “Welcome back, Taiga.”

Despite clearly still being confused, Taiga smiled, “I’m happy to be back.”


End file.
